Shell Foundation & Amazon Saheli Launch Women's Growth Initiative

By: WE staff | Thursday, 7 May 2026

•  Partnership expands market access for women entrepreneurs across rural India.
• Clean energy solutions improve productivity for women-led small manufacturing businesses.
• Amazon Saheli provides training, visibility, and nationwide customer access opportunities.

Shell Foundation, Global Alliance for Mass Entrepreneurship, and Amazon Saheli has launched a new initiative to empower low-income women entrepreneurs from their homes in India by enhancing market access and facilitating the uptake of ‘clean energy technologies’.

The programme seeks to enhance women-led micro enterprises under “GAME”, by enabling them to become sustainable businesses and boost their household income. It is expected that the initiative will reach the women producer groups collectivised under 10 large aggregated enterprises throughout the country, especially in the sectors like handicrafts, textiles and agriculture.

Amazon Saheli will give women entrepreneurs access to the larger markets and customers through its e-commerce platform. Participating sellers will also benefit from support, such as reduced selling fees, account management support and business training to enhance digital selling skills.

Shell Foundation will be contributing energy efficient technologies that will help enhance productivity in rural households as well as small-scale manufacturing. GAME will support the implementation and adoption of these solutions with women entrepreneurs involved in the programme.

“Partnerships with entities such as Amazon Saheli and GAME play a critical role in driving adoption of clean solutions on a more extensive scale in emerging economies, as well as in supporting more resilient economic growth and providing opportunities for women entrepreneurs”, Jonathan Berman said.

Ketul Acharya noted that restricted access to mainstream markets is a big hurdle for women micro entrepreneurs. “Creating the long-term economic effects and strengthening the future of women-led businesses can be achieved by addressing both market connectivity and energy needs”, he said.

Amazon Saheli said the partnership will help them be more visible and provide tools, training and support to women entrepreneurs to achieve sustainable growth and reach customers across India.